Peter Christopherson

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Peter Christopherson

Peter Martin Christopherson, a.k.a. Sleazy (born February 27, 1955) is a musician, video director and designer, and former member of the influential British design agency Hipgnosis.

He was one of the original members of the infamous Industrial Records band, Throbbing Gristle. After Throbbing Gristle he participated in the foundation of Psychic TV along with Geoffrey Rushton, aka John Balance. After his short time in Psychic TV, Christopherson formed Coil along with Balance, which lasted just under 23 years, until Balance died of a fall in their London home. Christopherson has participated in the reuniting of Throbbing Gristle as well as composed an album for his current solo endeavour The Threshold HouseBoys Choir.

Music

Before Coil

Born in Leeds, Peter Christopherson was a founding member of Throbbing Gristle who are credited with creating the genre industrial music before disbanding in 1981. Throbbing Gristle members Chris Carter and Cosey Fanni Tutti formed their own group while Peter Christopherson and TG's other member Genesis P-Orridge formed Psychic TV along with other musicians. John Balance met Christopherson as a Throbbing Gristle fan and the two became partners. Christopherson worked on the first two Psychic TV albums, Force The Hand Of Chance and Dreams Less Sweet, joined by Balance on the second one. The two performed live several times with Psychic TV then formed on their own project, Coil. Along with Chris Carter, Christopherson has personally documented on his MySpace blog (with photographic evidence) of having played a custom-made (for him) keyboard-triggered sampler before the first sampler (Fairlight) was available in UK. While not the first sampler, this was a major step towards the use of samplers in live performance, as noted by Christopherson himself.

Solo projects and TG reformation

Despite Christopherson's long and extensive history as a musical artist, he has only released a single track under the name Peter Christopherson. The song, "In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid", appeared on the compilation Foxtrot, a benefit album for former partner John Balance's rehabilitation from alcohol addiction.

In 2005, Christopherson relocated from England to Krung Thep, Thailand and undertook the project The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir. Since Christopherson's relocation he has released the final Coil CDs; The Ape Of Naples, The Remote Viewer, Black Antlers, and reissued Musick To Play In The Dark Vol. 1 and Musick To Play In The Dark Vol. 2, which were formerly being manufactured in England.

2005 also marked the reuniting of Throbbing Gristle for a few concerts. Throbbing Gristle announced a new album Part Two. The group has announced several additional concerts in 2007 to promote the album.

In 2007 Christopherson released the debut album of his solo effort The Threshold HouseBoys Choir. The album, Form Grows Rampant, is broken down into five "parts" or songs, and includes a DVD of the album set to video of Thai rituals in Krung Thep. He is guest and jury head of the 2007 Melbourne Underground Film Festival.[1]

Musical discography

Solo as Peter Christopherson

  • "In My Head A Crystal Sphere Of Heavy Fluid" on Foxtrot (1998)

Solo as The Threshold HouseBoys Choir

With Throbbing Gristle

Main article: Throbbing Gristle discography

With SoiSong

  • SOI-JIN-NO-HI free download EP from www.thresholdhouse.com from March (2008)

With Psychic TV

With Coil, Sickness Of Snakes, ELpH, The Eskaton and Black Light District

Main article: Coil discography

Other contributions

Date of release Song title Released on Group name released under Musical Role
1980 "First/Last" Something For Nobody Monte Cazazza featuring (technical supervision)
1982 Seven Songs 23 Skidoo featuring (production)
1992 "First/Last" The Worst Of Monte Cazazza Monte Cazazza featuring (technical supervision)
1993 The Apocalyptic Folk In The Nodding God Unveiled The Nodding Folk performer
1996 "Videodrones; Questions" Lost Highway soundtrack Trent Reznor production
1996 "Driver Down" Lost Highway Soundtrack Trent Reznor production
2000 "Silence Is Golden" Vox Tinnitus CoH vocals
2001 "My Angel (Director's Cut)" Love Uncut CoH vocals
2001 August 06 The Michel Publicity Window E.P. Thighpaulsandra album artwork design
2002 "Autumn" Seasons CoH uses field recordings by Christopherson
2005 "Unhealthy Red" A Nature Of Nonsense Aural Rage written by

Live performances

See also Throbbing Gristle live and Coil Live
Date (Year-Month-Day) Country-Province-City Venue Event Notes
2004-09-13 France-Paris Forum des Halles L'Etrange festival Credited as Peter Christopherson, live for The Art of Mirrors by Derek Jarman
2005-12-23 Russia-St. Petersburg Red Club – Along with Alec Empire, CoH, and Theodor Bastard for a John Balance memorial concert. Credited as The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir
2006-05-02 Thailand-Krung Thep – Thailand New Media Arts Festival 2006 Credited as Peter Christopherson
2006-11-19 USA-Massachusetts-Arlington – Brainwaves Festival Did not attend festival, merely sent videos he was working on to be screened.[2] Credited as The Threshold HouseBoy's Choir
2006-04-14 Japan-Kyoto Metro Part Two release party Credited as Peter Christopherson
2006-04-16 Japan-Tokyo Liquid Room Part Two release party Credited as Peter Christopherson

Music video director filmography

Album artwork credits

This from Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson himself: "I worked as a free-lance photographer and contributor, then promoted to an assistant to Hipgnosis before becoming a partner, and continued to act also after I officially left the organization. So my contributions range from attempted but rejected artwork or design work, to partial contribution in either/both as an assistant, to being fully responsible for all design and artwork, such as the Peter Gabriel LPs. What you wish to document is up to you."[citation needed]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Peter Christopherson.

Official

Interviews

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